Aeroplane flare or signal



S. WILEY AEROPLANE FLARE 0R SIGNAL sept.- 11, 192s. Y 1,683,939

Filed June 50, 1924 INVENTOR amuel Willa y A TTORNEY resented sept. n, 192.

i a im. wnLEY, or METUGHEN, NEW JEEsEY.

I il PLANE FLARE OR SIGNAL.

Application led June 30, 1924. Serial No. 723,871.

The subject of this invention is an aero' plane iiare or signal.'

When aeroplanes are required to make night landings in unfamiliar territory 1t becomes necessary for the aviator to drop flares for the purposeof illuminating the surrounding terrain, or in landing at aerodromes he may desire to signal to the ground sintion.

The usual method of igniting flares is by an electric spark or a propeller operated striker, but I propose to accomplish th1s function by the distension of a parachute.

My invention resides in providing a Hare or signal transportable Without a separate shipping container; adapted to be carrled Within the fuselage of the plane to avold Wind resistance and releasable' through the ioor of the plane; capable of positive ignition when released With a parachute but incapable of ignition Within the plane; equipped with a simple and inexpensive re leasing mechanism; and,wh ich has no parts which Will fall to the ground to endanger life and property. j

To these and other ends, my invention con- 'sists in the construction, arrangement, andv combination of elements, described hereinafter and pointed out'in the claims forming a part of this specification.

A practical embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying'drawing, in which,

` Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my improved flare and container;

Fig. 2 isa longitudinal sectional view of the container showing the manner of carryin the flare;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 5; i

Fig. 4 is a detailed nose of the flare taken mechanism;

Fig. 5Ais a sectional view taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 is a detailed Sectional view of the releasing members taken on the line (3*6 of Fig. 1.

sectional view of the through the releasing Referring to the drawings by numerals ofl reference:

The container for the iiare or signalcomp'rises a cylindrical casing 10, its lower portion rolled to form a rim with apertures 12 adjacent the rim. Riveted to the upper portion of the container 10 is a hook 13 for supporting the container in a bracket carried by the fuselage of the plane.

vwhence they pass Asired, the block 11 and provided Theupper opening of the container is permanently closed by a cover 14. which is provided with a handle 15 to facilitate manipulationof the container.v The container 10 60 serves as a shipping carton and carries a flare and a releasmg mechanis The flare proper conslsts of 1 h a cylindfical case 16, enclosing an illuminating or slgnalling composition 17 and a first fire com` 05 position 18 and is suspended from a parachute 19, which is distended when free of the container 10 and slowly-floats to the ground. The light case 16 when inserted in the container occupies the greater length of the container and is spaced from its walls. theY folded parachute coming to rest against the cover 14.

Inserted within the lower opening ofthe light case and disposed adjacent the first fire composition 18 is a disc 20 provided with a 75 plurality of openings in Which are carried priming elements 21. The lvdisc'2() is spaced from the drum head cover 22 to form a chamber for the the chamber through apertures 24 in the light case. VThe quick-matches 23 are disposed along the outer Wall of the light case Where they are held in place bycoverings 25 and enterthe light through a block 27 and terminate in a chamber 27 formed on the under side of the block.

Disposed Within tending through formed in the block, is a plug 29, formed with recesses 30 for enclosing friction primers 31 andl also formed with a central passage 32 communicating with the recesses' for leading wires 33 through the One endy ofl each Wire is terminated in a coil 34 adjacent the quick-matches 23, While4 the opposite ends are hooked about aV folded looped cablel 35, the free ends of which are the chamber 27 and exsecurely fastened to the block 27 as at 36 and 100 the looped end 37 passing through a top disc 38 in the light case and receiving the suspension cords 39 of the parachute 19. If deformed integrally.

case in any suitable manner specifically by nails 40, so that when the light case is released from the container, it will carry With it and be suspended by the parachute cable 35 and suspension cords 39. The parachute will normally be distended shortly reception of the free ends of a number of quick-matches 23 introduced into 30- case through apertures 26 35 a central aperture 28, 90

friction primers 31.

27 and the plug 29 may be 1.05 The block 27 is securely affixed to thelight 19 through the 110.

,afterwrelease and-through the sudden jerk .straightening out or unfolding the cable will pull the coiled ends 34 of the wires 33 throughv the friction primers 3l to i matches 23, which relay the ame to the lirst fire composition 18 and the illuminating composition 17. The wires 33 and the quickmatches 23 are duplicated solely to insure functioning of the device.

A ydisc 41 is nating composition and the block to prevent the upper surface of the composition from being ignited by the flame from the friction primer; If desired. this disc may be formed integrally with the block 27.

The light case is retained by a bottom cap 42 inserted withinand forming a closure for the container. A separable spring band 43 formed with projecting terminals 44 encircles the container and rests upon its rim 11 and is provided with lugs 45 which project inwardly through the apertures 12 of the container and corresponding apertures in the bottom cap to hold the cap 1n place when the terminals 44 are confined in a slot 46 formed in a slide 46. The slide 46 is adapted to 'work in a guide bracket 47 riveted to the container and its upper portion is centrally grooved and apertured for the reception of a release wire 48 which is conveniently bent to facilitate manipulation.

The flare is released from the container by pulling the release wire 48 which raises and disengages the slide from the release band allowing the band to spring off from the container and withdraw the lugs 45 from the bottom cap so that the weight of the Hare will cause it to drop from the container which is securely carried by a bracket in the plane.

During storage and transportation, the release mechanism is locked by a wire 49, which passes through the slide 46, spring band 43, container 10, and bottom cap 42. Attached to the wire is an instruction tag 50 informing the operator. to remove the wire after attaching the device in a plane. y

While in the foregoing there has been illustrated and described such combination and arrangement of elements as constitute the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is nevertheless desired to emphasize the fact nite the quickthatl interpretation of the invention shouldv only bey conclusive when made in the light of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. A Hare embodying a light case, an illuminant carried by the case, an apertured 4 interposed between the illumitainer, a closure block within the case above the illuminant, a plug inserted in the block and spaced from the sides thereof to form a chamber, said plug formed with' recesses and a communicating central passage, friction primers carried by the plug, means for firing the primers, means interposed between the illuminant and the block to protect the upper surface of the illuminant from the flame ofthe primers, and means for relaying the flame to the lower surface of the illuminant.

2. A flare embodying a light case,-an illuminant carried inthe lower portion gf the case, an igniting mechanism carried in the upper portion of the case, means for suspending the Ccase from a parachute, means associated with the suspending means for actuating the igniting mechanism', and means introduced into .the case above and below the illuminant for transmitting ignition to the lower surface of the illuminant.

3. A yreleasing mechanism for flares embodying a container, a flare within the container, a closure for the release end of the container, a separable spring band encircling the container and supported there lugs carried by the band. and extending tirough the container and the closure to hold the closure in position, a 'slide formed with a slot for confining the terminals of the band, a guide bracket for the slide,vand means for manipulating the slide. `i

4. A releasing vmechanism for flares, em-

bodying a container, a flare within the confor the release end f ythe container, a springband encircling the container and supported thereby, means carried by the'band and extending through the container and the closure to hold the closure in position, means for` maintaining the spring band in holding position, and 'means for removing the .aforesaid means to enable the band to move to releasing position.

. 5. A device for use wlth aircraft embody' ing a combined-shipping container and discharge tube, a flare within the container, and means penetrating the container `for releasably confining the Hare.

6. A device for use withaircraft embodying a combined shipping container and discharge tube, a flare within the container, andl means embracing the container for releasing the Hare vfrom the container.

7. A combined device for'use with aircraft embodying la container and discharge tube, a flare wlthin the container, and means embracing the container for-releasing the are from the container. 1

SAMUEL WILEY. 

